User blog:Goddess of Despair/William the Conqueror vs Hannibal Barca
William the Conqueror, the duke of Normandy takes on Hannibal Barca the Carthage general who's army of elephants terrorized Rome! Who is deadliest? To find out our wikians are testing history's most lethal weapons. No rules, no safety, no mercy. Its a duel to the death to decide who is the deadliest warrior! Hannibal Barca Backround Origin-Carthage. Activities-Trying to take down Rome. History-Hannibal, son of Hamilcar Barca1 (247–183 or 182 BC)2 was a Carthaginian military commander and tactician. He is considered by many to be one of the greatest military commanders in recorded history. His father, Hamilcar Barca, was the leading Carthaginian commander during the First Punic War, his younger brothers were Mago and Hasdrubal, and he was brother-in-law to Hasdrubal the Fair. Hannibal lived during a period of great tension in the Mediterranean, when the Roman Republic established its supremacy over other great powers such as Carthage, the Hellenistic kingdoms of Macedon, Syracuse, and the Seleucid empire. One of his most famous achievements was at the outbreak of the Second Punic War, when he marched an army, which included war elephants, from Iberia over the Pyrenees and the Alps into northern Italy. In his first few years in Italy, he won three dramatic victories — Trebia, Trasimene, and Cannae — and won over many allies of Rome. Hannibal occupied much of Italy for 15 years, but a Roman counter-invasion of North Africa forced him to return to Carthage, where he was decisively defeated by Scipio Africanus at the Battle of Zama. Scipio had studied Hannibal's tactics and brilliantly devised some of his own, and finally defeated Rome's nemesis at Zama having previously driven Hasdrubal, Hannibal's brother, out of the Iberian Peninsula. After the war, Hannibal successfully ran for the office of suffete. He enacted political and financial reforms to enable the payment of the war indemnity imposed by Rome. However, Hannibal's reforms were unpopular with members of the Carthaginian aristocracy and in Rome, and he fled into voluntary exile. During this time, he lived at the Seleucid court, where he acted as military adviser to Antiochus III in his war against Rome. After Antiochus met defeat at Magnesia and was forced to accept Rome's terms, Hannibal fled again, making a stop in Armenia. His flight ended in the court of Bithynia, where he achieved an outstanding naval victory against a fleet from Pergamum. He was afterwards betrayed to the Romans and commited suicide by poisoning himself. Often regarded as the greatest military tactician and strategist in European history, Hannibal would later be considered one of the greatest generals of antiquity,needed together with Alexander the Great, Julius Caesar, Scipio, and Pyrrhus of Epirus. Plutarch states that, when questioned by Scipio as to who was the greatest general, Hannibal is said to have replied either Alexander or Pyrrhus, then himself, or, according to another version of the event, Pyrrhus, Scipio, then himself. Military historian Theodore Ayrault Dodge once famously called Hannibal the "father of strategy", because his greatest enemy, Rome, came to adopt elements of his military tactics in its own strategic arsenal. This praise has earned him a strong reputation in the modern world, and he was regarded as a "great strategist" by men like Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington. Equipment Musculata armor.png|Armor Falcata.png|Short range Solifferum.png|Long range War elephant.png|Special weapon William the Conqueror Backround Origin-Normandy. Activities-Attacking England. History-Born in 1028 in Normandy, King William I of England, also known as William the Conqueror, is known for his conquest of England and eventual rise to power. William had convinced himself that the crown of England was for the taking, and that he could successfully conquer England in a short period of time. As he strengthened Normandy's defenses and rallied 7,000 troops, in 1066 he finally conquered England in only a few months. As a result, William was the first Normand King of England and soon began for fortify his regime by building dozens of castles and spreading his royal army around the land. William's reign was so powerful it reshaped England as a whole during the Middle Ages. After a fatal horse riding injury when he was 59, William divided his succession between his three sons, Robert, William Rufus, and Henry. His youngest son, Henry, later became the famous King Henry I of England. Equipment Chainmail.png|Armor Norman broadsword.png|Short range Composite crossbow.png|Long range Catapault.png|Special weapon Battle/Voting information Battle will be a 5 on 5 and will take place in a meadow and Hannibal will have 1 elephant and William 1 catapault. Voting is in the form of points, 2 point for descriptive edges or 2 paragraphs. 1 point for 2 paragraphs or edges that are not that descriptive, and 0 for one word or sentence. Voting ends on April 14th, 2013. Battle William the conqueror Hannibal Barca William examined his land with pride, he fought hard for Britain and no one would take it from him. His men continued to set up camp as their king watched their progress. He was pleased in his triumph over the British, but something told him that he was not done; that a greater adversary needs to be defeated. He turned away from the camp and looked once more over the meadow when a stray ray of sunlight caught his eye. He turned his head and examined a small group of warriors, covered in bronze. His attention was quickly drawn to their beast, a large monstrosity that even he had never seen before. He signaled his men to load the catapult. Hannibal and his forces continued to march through the area when Hannibal’s officer caught his attention. He pointed to the hills, specifically at a large machine that was being moved into position. He examined the men closely, they wore Roman-like armor yet they appear to have different weapons. Hannibal began to wonder who this adversary was but his thoughts were interrupted when a colossal stone was hurled from the enemy' device, slamming into the ground next to him. Dirt was thrown all over and the elephant began to panic. The beast broke away from Hannibal’s control and stomped on one of his Carthaginians as it charged up to William’s men. “Reload!” called William to his men as they rolled up a second boulder. The elephant continued its charge to William’s line, making some of his men panic. His looked on in disappointment as his knight carrying the ammunition dropped the stone. It rolled down the hill and slammed into the elephant’s head. The beast cried out in pain and turned away from the Normans and ran directly down the hill towards Hannibal. Hannibal turned to his men “Javelins!” he yelled as his men in unison threw soliferrums at the charging animal. One soliferrum hit the creature in its eye and another in the leg bringing this ancient battle tank to the ground. William’s men reloaded and fired the catapult once more, crushing a Carthaginian under a massive boulder. William ordered his crossbowmen to fire bolts at Hannibal, the bolts meet masculata or shields and merely were bouncing off. Hannibal ordered his men to ready soliferrums and hasten their approach. The crossbow men fire another volley and the second they begin to reload Hannibal’s men hurl their javelins, each meeting the vulnerable troops with deadly accuracy. Hannibal’s men unsheathe their swords as the Norman knights get the last of their catapult ammunition. William orders his men to roll down the boulder, crushing a Carthaginian who is to slow to move out of the way. One Norman unsheathes his broadsword as another grabs his shield before Hannibal and his soldier confront them. The first Norman slashed high with his broadsword but the Carthaginian blocked it with his shield and followed up by thrusting his falcata into his chest. Hannibal thrusted his falcata at the second Norman, who blocked with his shield. He thrusted his broadsword into Hannibal, but the masculata armor protects him from the would be death blow. Hannibal slashed the Norman knight in across the cheek, drawing blood. He slashed once more, this time cutting the Norman’s throat to pieces. William unsheathed his broadsword and calmly approached a charging Carthage soldier. He blocked as slash from his falcata and shoved him to the ground. Before the man could react William slammed his broadsword onto the man’s head. Hannibal moved towards William, falcata and shield in hand as the Norman king lifted his sword from the dying Carthage warrior. Hannibal slashed high, but William parried and counter slashed at Hannibal’s chest; yet once again the masculata holds and keeps the Carthage warrior alive. Hannibal shoved William back with his shield but William was unfazed and striked the shield hard enough to make a bone in his arm snap. William slashed horizontally but Hannibal backed away in time to avoid decapitation. Hannibal rushed forward and slashed at William, but the chainmail deflected the slash leaving Hannibal wide open. William slammed his broadsword onto Hannibal’s helmet, crushing the Carthaginian’s skull. Hannibal fell to his knees as William decapitated him with a final slash. He sheathed his sword and looked once more onto his new kingdom. Out of 1,000 battles Expert's opinion This was a very close battle and the warriors were neck and neck during voting but William the Conqeror earned his victory here. When it came to physicality William had the advantage but with tactics Hannibal was shown to be more tactical. His elephant was a powerful psychological weapon but it could become startled and rampage Hannibal's troops instead of his opponent. William's long range weapon could be reloaded and is more accurate. His short range weapon was longer and weights more allowing it to be more lethal. Hannibal's only real advantage was the war elephant but even that ended up playing out against him. Hannibal simply can't compete with a warrior with a 1,000 year advantage in technology. Category:Blog posts